1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to kites, and more particularly to a controllable stunt kite having a pair of symmetrical bridles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Today more than 40 million kites are marketed in the United States yearly, most of them selling for under a dollar in dime stores and supermarkets. However, recent trends indicate that the market for kites costing upwards of $2.00 is increasing.
Kites are believed to have originated in China well over three thousand years ago, were used in Malayan religious observances about 3,000 year ago and have been found in legends regarding tethered flight in 2,500 year old Egyptian hieroglyphics. Assuming that kites had been known for a long time being they became a part of folklore, religion or legend, it seems reasonable to believe that kites date to the beginnings of human cultures.
The earliest kites are believed to be fabricated from large leaves of semitropical plants flown from lines made of twisted vines. Since even in those early cultures it was known that things did not naturally float in the air, the apparent miracle of a big leaf supported in the air at the end of a long stem could easily have been interpreted as magic. Such an interpretation could easily account for the wide variety of shapes and sizes that kites have assumed. Generally, however, kites fall into these basic types: flat kites, bowed kites, box kites, semirigid kites, and nonrigid kites. Even with this vast variation in kite size, shape and style, few kites are known to be controllable to any great extent.
As an example of a controllable kite, it is recognized that during World War II, a target kite was developed by the United States Navy for providing gunners with a constantly moving target. Such a kite was a basic two-stick kite including a keel and a rudder which were controlled and made movable relative to the covering through an elaborate system comprising a pulley, a bell crank and a control horn. These elements were interconnected in such a manner so as to enable the kite to be controlled by twin flying lines. A primary disadvantage of such a structure is its complexity. Furthermore, in spite of the elaborate structure for moving the rudder and the keel, it is believed that the kite could not be precisely controlled during flight.